kenilworth-第114章

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false　as　the　smoke　of　hell！　　Ambitious　she　may　befickle　and
impatient'tis　a　woman's　fault；　but　false　to　me！never；　never。
The　proofthe　proof　of　this！〃　　he　exclaimed　hastily。

〃Carrol；　the　Deputy　Marshal；　ushered　her　thither　by　her　own
desire；　on　yesterday　afternoon；　Lambourne　and　the　Warder　both
found　her　there　at　an　early　hour　this　morning；〃

〃Was　Tressilian　there　with　her？〃　　said　Leicester；　in　the　same
hurried　tone。

〃No；　my　lord。　　You　may　remember；〃　answered　Varney；　〃that　he　was
that　night　placed　with　Sir　Nicholas　Blount；　under　a　species　of
arrest。〃

〃Did　Carrol；　or　the　other　fellows；　know　who　she　was？〃　　demanded
Leicester。

〃No；　my　lord；〃　replied　Varney；　〃Carrol　and　the　Warder　had　never
seen　the　Countess；　and　Lambourne　knew　her　not　in　her　disguise。
But　in　seeking　to　prevent　her　leaving　the　cell；　he　obtained
possession　of　one　of　her　gloves；　which；　I　think；　your　lordship
may　know。〃

He　gave　the　glove；　which　had　the　Bear　and　Ragged　Staff；　the
Earl's　impress；　embroidered　upon　it　in　seed…pearls。

〃I　doI　do　recognize　it；〃　said　Leicester。　　〃They　were　my　own
gift。　　The　fellow　of　it　was　on　the　arm　which　she　threw　this　very
day　around　my　neck！〃　　He　spoke　this　with　violent　agitation。

〃Your　lordship；〃　said　Varney；　〃might　yet　further　inquire　of　the
lady　herself　respecting　the　truth　of　these　passages。〃

〃It　needs　notit　needs　not；〃　said　the　tortured　Earl；　〃it　is
written　in　characters　of　burning　light；　as　if　they　were　branded
on　my　very　eyeballs！　　I　see　her　infamy…I　can　see　nought　else；
andgracious　Heaven！for　this　vile　woman　was　I　about　to　commit
to　danger　the　lives　of　so　many　noble　friends；　shake　the
foundation　of　a　lawful　throne；　carry　the　sword　and　torch　through
the　bosom　of　a　peaceful　land；　wrong　the　kind　mistress　who　made　me
what　I　am；　and　would；　but　for　that　hell…framed　marriage；　have
made　me　all　that　man　can　be！　　All　this　I　was　ready　to　do　for　a
woman　who　trinkets　and　traffics　with　my　worst　foes！And　thou；
villain；　why　didst　thou　not　speak　sooner？〃

〃My　lord；〃　said　Varney；　〃a　tear　from　my　lady　would　have　blotted
out　all　I　could　have　said。　　Besides；　I　had　not　these　proofs　until
this　very　morning；　when　Anthony　Foster's　sudden　arrival　with　the
examinations　and　declarations；　which　he　had　extorted　from　the
innkeeper　Gosling　and　others；　explained　the　manner　of　her　flight
from　Cumnor　Place；　and　my　own　researches　discovered　the　steps
which　she　had　taken　here。〃

〃Now；　may　God　be　praised　for　the　light　He　has　given！　　so　full；　so
satisfactory；　that　there　breathes　not　a　man　in　England　who　shall
call　my　proceeding　rash；　or　my　revenge　unjust。And　yet；　Varney；
so　young；　so　fair；　so　fawning；　and　so　false！　　Hence；　then；　her
hatred　to　thee；　my　trusty；　my　well…beloved　servant；　because　you
withstood　her　plots；　and　endangered　her　paramour's　life！〃

〃I　never　gave　her　any　other　cause　of　dislike；　my　lord；〃　replied
Varney。　　〃But　she　knew　that　my　counsels　went　directly　to　diminish
her　influence　with　your　lordship；　and　that　I　was；　and　have　been；
ever　ready　to　peril　my　life　against　your　enemies。〃

〃It　is　too；　too　apparent；〃　replied　Leicester　〃yet　with　what　an
air　of　magnanimity　she　exhorted　me　to　commit　my　head　to　the
Queen's　mercy；　rather　than　wear　the　veil　of　falsehood　a　moment
longer！　　Methinks　the　angel　of　truth　himself　can　have　no　such
tones　of　high…souled　impulse。　　Can　it　be　so；　Varney？can
falsehood　use　thus　boldly　the　language　of　truth？can　infamy　thus
assume　the　guise　of　purity？　　Varney；　thou　hast　been　my　servant
from　a　child。　　I　have　raised　thee　highcan　raise　thee　higher。
Think；　think　for　me！thy　brain　was　ever　shrewd　and　piercing
may　she　not　be　innocent？　　Prove　her　so；　and　all　I　have　yet　done
for　thee　shall　be　as　nothingnothing；　in　comparison　of　thy
recompense！〃

The　agony　with　which　his　master　spoke　had　some　effect　even　on　the
hardened　Varney；　who；　in　the　midst　of　his　own　wicked　and
ambitious　designs；　really　loved　his　patron　as　well　as　such　a
wretch　was　capable　of　loving　anything。　　But　he　comforted　himself；
and　subdued　his　self…reproaches；　with　the　reflection　that　if　he
inflicted　upon　the　Earl　some　immediate　and　transitory　pain；　it
was　in　order　to　pave　his　way　to　the　throne；　which；　were　this
marriage　dissolved　by　death　or　otherwise；　he　deemed　Elizabeth
would　willingly　share　with　his　benefactor。　　He　therefore
persevered　in　his　diabolical　policy；　and　after　a　moment's
consideration；　answered　the　anxious　queries　of　the　Earl　with　a
melancholy　look；　as　if　he　had　in　vain　sought　some　exculpation　for
the　Countess；　then　suddenly　raising　his　head；　he　said；　with　an
expression　of　hope；　which　instantly　communicated　itself　to　the
countenance　of　his　patron〃Yet　wherefore；　if　guilty；　should　she
have　perilled　herself　by　coming　hither？　　Why　not　rather　have　fled
to　her　father's；　or　elsewhere？though　that；　indeed；　might　have
interfered　with　her　desire　to　be　acknowledged　as　Countess　of
Leicester。〃

〃True；　true；　true！〃　　exclaimed　Leicester；　his　transient　gleam　of
hope　giving　way　to　the　utmost　bitterness　of　feeling　and
expression；　〃thou　art　not　fit　to　fathom　a　woman's　depth　of　wit；
Varney。　　I　see　it　all。　　She　would　not　quit　the　estate　and　title
of　the　wittol　who　had　wedded　her。　　Ay；　and　if　in　my　madness　I　had
started　into　rebellion；　or　if　the　angry　Queen　had　taken　my　head；
as　she　this　morning　threatened；　the　wealthy　dower　which　law　would
have　assigned　to　the　Countess　Dowager　of　Leicester　had　been　no
bad　windfall　to　the　beggarly　Tressilian。　　Well　might　she　goad　me
on　to　danger；　which　could　not　end　otherwise　than　profitably　to
her；Speak　not　for　her；　Varney！　　I　will　have　her　blood！〃

〃My　lord；〃　replied　Varney；　〃the　wildness　of　your　distress　breaks
forth　in　the　wildness　of　your　language；〃

〃I　say；　speak　not　for　her！〃　　replied　Leicester；　〃she　has
dishonoured　meshe　would　have　murdered　meall　ties　are　burst
between　us。　　She　shall　die　the　death　of　a　traitress　and
adulteress；　well　merited　both　by　the　laws　of　God　and　man！　　And
what　is　this　casket；〃　he　said；　〃which　was　even　now　thrust　into　my
hand　by　a　boy；　with　the　desire　I　would　convey　it　to　Tressilian；
as　he　could　not　give　it　to　the　Countess？　　By　Heaven！　the　words
surprised　me　as　he　spoke　them；　though　other　matters　chased　them
from　my　brain；　but　now　they　return　with　double　force。　It　is　her
casket　of　jewels！Force　it　open；　Varneyforce　the　hinges　open
with　thy　poniard！〃

〃She　refused　the　aid　of　my　dagger　once；〃　thought　Varney；　as　he
unsheathed　the　weapon；　〃to　cut　the　string　which　bound　a　letter；
but　now　it　shall　work　a　mightier　ministry　in　her　fortunes。〃

With　this　reflection；　by　using　the　three…cornered　stiletto…blade
as　a　wedge；　he　forced　open　the　slender　silver　hinges　of　the
casket。　　The　Earl　no　sooner　saw　them　give　way　than　he　snatched
the　casket　from　Sir　Richard's　hand；　wrenched　off　the　cover；　and
tearing　out　the　splendid　contents；　flung　them　on　the　floor　in　a
transport　of　rage；　while　he　eagerly　searched　for　some　letter　or
billet　which　should　make　the　fancied　guilt　of　his　innocent
Countess　yet　more　apparent。　　Then　stamping　furiously　on　the　gems；
he　exclaimed；　〃Thus　I　annihilate　the　miserable　toys　for　which
thou　hast　sold　thyself；　body　and　soulconsigned　thyself　to　an
early　and　timeless　death；　and　me　to　misery　and　remorse　for　ever！
Tell　me　not　of　forgiveness；　Varneyshe　is　doomed！〃

So　saying；　he　left　the　room；　and　rushed　into　an　adjacent　closet；
the　door　of　which　he　locked　and　bolted。

Varney　looked　after　him；　while　something　of　a　more　human　feeling
seemed　to　contend　with　his　habitual　sneer。　　〃I　am　sorry　for　his
weakness；〃　he　said；　〃but　love　has　made　him　a　child。　　He　throws
down　and　treads　on　these　costly　toys…with　the　same　vehemence
would　he　dash　to　pieces　this　frailest　toy　of　all；　of　which　he
used　to　rave　so　fondly。　　But　that　taste　also　will　be　forgotten
when　its　object　is　no　more。　　Well；　he　has　no　eye　to　value　things
as　they　deserve；　and　that　nature　has　given　to　Varney。　　When
Leicester　shall　be　a　sovereign；　he　will　think　as　little　of　the
gales　of　passion　through　which　he　gained　that　royal　port；　as　ever
did　sailor　in　harbour　of　the　perils　of　a　voyage。　　But　these　tell…
tale　articles　must　not　remain　herethey　are　rather　too　rich
vails　for　the　drudges　who　dress　the　chamber。〃

While　Varney　w